Secrets of Emerald
by Findel
Summary: Zelgadis is taking a vaction in Ireland when some odd things begin to happen. What is happening and who is causing these weird events. Little fic I'm doing for St. Patrick's Day
1. Default Chapter

**Secrets of Emerald**

**Chapter: 1**

**Waltzing Matilda**

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Well this is an interesting idea I spawned while working. Mix only two hours of sleep, non-thinking work, and a pinch of the idea of St. Patrick's day coming up and you might get something like this. Just a little playing with some Irish myths. So I hope everyone enjoys.

Note: Before anyone asks the term, 'Waltzing Matilda,' means that you are living like a vagabond at the time. Constantly traveling on foot with a backpack is the the meaning of the term.

Also if anyone can name what Zelgadis is traveling on in the first chapter then you know you Irish folklore.

* * *

He breathed deeply as he took in the morning sun rising above the flowing green hills. It was a beautiful sight when all you had seen for years was the pavement of the city. Yes, Zelgadis Greywords had lived and worked most of his life away in the big cities of the world. It was an ever changing world and he was a successful man so far in his business ventures. The climate had been so well in the past couple of years that Zelgadis found it was a good time for a vacation. So here he was on the emerald isle of Ireland on his long deserved vacation. "It feels good to get away from the noise of the city for a while," he sighed as he began from the small town he was staying.

He had stayed at a small inn the night before and had prepare for his vacation. The idea of walking from town to town and just enjoying himself was Zelgadis' vacation and he began after watching the sun rise. He began to walk with his walking stick and pack off into the wild. There were some of the villagers that had offered to go with him but he had kindly refused. He wanted to go, 'Waltzing Matilda,' by himself and see what he could see. As he continued looked down at the cuff of his sleeve to see the shamrock that the inn owner had place. He laughed slightly and said, "I guess a little luck never hurt."

He continued on his way until he came to what looked to be a well worn path in the grass. He stopped and looked at the path for a moment before looking both ways. This was not a road and there was not another path to suggest a cart of any kind. He then shrugged and pulled out the map he had with him. As he looked at the map he felt a slight breeze and looked to see that nothing was there. After a few moments with the compass he found that the path ran in the same direction with the nearest town. He folded up the map and began to walk down the path. He hummed slightly to himself as he thought, 'Won't be that easy to get lost with this path as a land mark.'

Zel continued on his way as the sun slowly rose in the sky. By lunch time he had traveled a decent distance from his starting point and felt it was time for a break. He found a spot near the path and sat down under a tree. Zel then took out an apple and began to eat as he watched the country side in front of him. As he continued to eat he felt another breeze go by him but noticed that nothing moved under the wind. He looked around for a second before sticking his finger in his mouth and then testing for wind. "No wind at all," Zel said to himself as he tried to figure out the breeze he felt.

He was caught up in thought as he tried to figure what was going on. He was about to take another bite out of the apple when he noticed it was gone. Zel looked to the side to see a lone sheep munching what was left of his apple. He just glared at the animal for a moment and received a bah in return. He shook his head as he when to fish another apple out when he heard a laugh. Zel looked in the same direction of the sheep, thinking it was the herder, but found no one there. He looked around his resting place but found that no human was there. The only things he saw was grass, trees, and the occasional sheep. He scratched his head in confusion as he wondered if his mind just was not playing tricks. He shrugged after a moment and stood up before shouldering his pack saying, "It's time I got moving. I've got more land to cover."

Zel began to walk back down the odd path as he continued on his way. He walked for about a mile when he felt a force against his back. He stumbled forward and fought to keep his balance. After a moment he was able to stop and stand correctly. He spun around to be greeted with nothing but air. He scratched his head in confusion for a second while thinking, 'I know I felt something push me. But, there is nothing here for anyone to hide behind that is close enough that I wouldn't notice.'

Zel continued to think while he watched for any kind of movement. Nothing answered him for minutes before he turned back around and started towards the town. Zel continued on down the path until it turned off in a different direction and he continued to the north and the destination for the evening. Right before night fall he strolled into town and went towards the inn while thinking, 'I wonder if any of the locals ever had a day like this?'

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I know it's kinda short but it is harder to write just a single point of view with no other character interactions. It will be longer in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to size=1 width=100% noshade> 


	2. Secrets of Emerald Chapter 2: The Path i...

**Secrets of Emerald**

**Chapter 2**

**The Path is What?**

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Next chapter up and now things will start getting interesting.

* * *

Zelgadis relaxed in the little Irish pub as he looked over his map. He wanted to plan his travel for the next day so he wouldn't loose any time lost and looking around. 'Especially after what happened today,' he thought as he folded the map once.

As he was putting his map up Zel was joined by an older looking man who sat down and asked, "So ya' doing some waltzing there are ya' me boyo?"

Zel nodded to the older fellow and replied, "Yeah, so far it's been relaxing so far except for a sheep stealing one of my apples."

The old man laughed and said, "Ya' gotta watch out for you jumbuck's. Their tricky devils."

The man turned to the band that was winding down and shouted, "Aye, Patrick play this swagman some Waltzing Matilda."

The leader of the band now known as Patrick nodded and began to play with the rest falling in step behind him. Zelgadis listened to the tale of the swagman as the song began.

_There once was a swagman camped by a Billabong__  
__Under the shade of a Coolabah tree_  
_And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled_  
_Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me  
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?  
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?_

Zel closed his eyes and listened as the song progressed. It was a beautiful song the likes he hadn't heard in quite some time.

Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole  
Up jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee  
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me  
Waltzing Matlida, Waltzing Matlida  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me  
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred  
Up rode the Trooper- one, two, three  
Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.  
Waltzing Matlida, Waltzing Matlida  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.  
Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole  
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,  
And his ghost may be heard as you walk along the Billabong,  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?  
Waltzing Matlida, Waltzing Matlida  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?  
And his ghost may be heard as you walk along the Billabong,  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda me darling?  
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?  
Waltzing Matilda and leaving a water bag  
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

After the song finished Zel and the rest of the crowd applauded the band. After a moment Zel turned back to his guests and said, "That was a good song. Thanks for requesting it."

"Aye, ya don't need to thank me, me laddie. It's a good ole song. So where did ya come from," the old man asked.

"Just from the south a little ways. I probably wouldn't have found this place tonight had it not been for that path," Zel answered as he relaxed.

After looking around the bar he noticed that it was silent and everyone, even his buddy, was staring at him. He turned to the old man to hear him ask, "What kinda' type would that a' been laddie?"

Zel shrugged and replied, "Just this worn path in the grass running over the hills. It really wasn't a road and there were no other paths to suggest it was made by a cart."

The old man looked at him for a moment before asking, "Did anything outa the ordinary happen to ya today laddie?"

Zel blinked and the said, "Well, there was that time I felt like someone had pushed me on the path, but no one was there. And, I could've sworn I heard some child laughing at different times during my walk."

As Zel finished he noticed people heading out the door or moving away from him. He was about to ask what was going on when the old man flagged down the barkeep and shouted, "Gabriel give this man 'nother ale on me. He's gonna need it."

"What's going on," Zel asked as another drink was placed in front of him just to have the bar girl get away as quick as possible.

"Well, me boyo that path ya' was on wasn't no ordinary path. Ya' was on a fae path. They run all over dear old Ireland and they are the method of transport for Oberon's children that live on the island. Any human that dares get in the way of the path will have problems. It sounds like a fae has taken a shining to ya' and now it's gonna follow ya' whether ya' on the path or not."

Zel laughed and then replied, "I'm sorry but that is a bit outlandish. I just can't see much trouble from little fairies. And, besides nothing weird has happened since I got off the path."

"That may be laddie but I would take these if I was you," the old man replied and handed Zelgadis a pair of iron manacles.

"What good will these do me," Zel asked a bit confused with the gift.

"Fae hate cold rod iron. It robs them of their powers and if you can catch the one after you then you will have a fae servant until you decided to release it," the old man replied.

"Okay," Zel replied a bit uneasy. He stood up and said, "Well, I'm going to my room. I'll talk to you on my way back through."

"Good night, laddie," replied the man as he watched Zel depart for his room, "and good luck."

* * *

The next day found Zelgadis hiking again with his pack on his shoulders and the manacles hanging off the pack. He marched along the countryside and so far nothing odd had occurred. He whistled the song he had heard last night as he continued on his way. As the sun began to fully rise he could see another fae path in the distance. 'Well, he said it would only happen if I blocked the path. So I'll just walk near it,' he thought since the paths seemed to be good landmarks.

He continued on and the sun got higher in the sky as the day passed on around him. It was about lunch time when he sat down and began to eat his meal that the owner of the bar had fixed him before he headed out. As he was chewing on the sandwich he heard the tell-tale laughter from the other day and was on his guard in an instant. He looked around while trying to hide that he was aware of anything going on. Zel had set the manacles in his lap to inspect them as he ate and now he was glad to have the notion to do so. He waited and listened as he acted to eat his meal. It was about a minute he heard something going through his pack and he slowly grabbed the manacles. When he heard the top of the pack being opened he lunged at his pack with the manacles open and ready to capture their prey. "Now we shall see what's going on," he shouted as he lunged and hit something very solid.

He landed on something softer then earth and he raised himself to see what he had caught. He gaped as he saw just what was under him caught by the wrist in the manacles. It was a woman a little shorter than him with unnaturally red and fiery hair. Her skin looked to be that of tan ivory. Pure white with a look of tanned age. Her small frame was stuck under him clothed in magentas, yellows, and blacks. The last thing he noticed was the elongated ears on the side of her head. The girl looks like one of those elf girls in anime but without the ears being totally over done. As he was inspecting her ears he lightly caressed them to receive a slight moan and then a gasp of realization. He looked down to see her bright ruby, red eyes glaring at him. She was about to push him off when she noticed the manacles on her wrist and her eyes widened. 'Here it comes,' Zel thought as he prepared for the beating of his life.

Instead he was knocked off the girl as she began to flail around and screaming in this trilling, high-pitched voice in a language he couldn't understand. He sat back and watched in amazement as she pretty much threw a fit and tried to remove the manacles at all cost. She even tried to chew through them which only gave her a tooth ache. After a few more moments she stopped in a kneeling position with her hands in front of her and her head down. She was breathing heavily as she tried to regain her breath from her struggle. She then threw her head up to glare at Zelgadis anger apparent in her eyes. Zel did not know what to do other than to look at her. They both stared at each other in the field until one dared to say something. Zel was about to say something when he heard, "Let me go."

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	3. Secrets of Emerald Chapter 3: What to Do...

**Secrets of Emerald**

**Chapter 3**

**What to Do With a Fae Servant?**

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Next chapter up and now we start the fun part of the fic.

* * *

Zel blinked at the remark made by the fiery haired fae girl. He then cleared his throat and asked, "Why? So you can keep following me and messing with me for the rest of my vacation?"

At his response the girl glared even harder and puffed up her cheeks in anger. She looked like an owl that had ruffled it's feathers to make itself look bigger and more intimidating. Zel couldn't help but laugh at the sight and started to roll on the ground in his laughter. The girl started grinding her teeth together in anger before she shouted, "Listen here you. I might not be able to use any truly useful powers against you but I can still beat the crap out of you."

It was at this moment that she leaped to her feet and lunged at Zel's prone body. Zel, noticing her charge, quickly rolled out of the way and leapt to his feet as the girl hit the ground where he had been. He stood still and watched as she got on her feet again. "It's rather useless to do this. Just calm down before someone gets hurt," Zel replied as he watched her movement.

"Yeah you," the girl shouted as she charged at Zel for the second time.

'I have to stop this now,' Zel thought as he settled himself and waited for the right moment.

Right as the girl threw a punch Zel dodged to the right while catching her wrist in both his hands. He then twisted her arm downwards and to the rear as he used her momentum to flip he in a judo throw. He watched as she landed to the ground in a thud and saw the surprise in her eyes at his counter. He let go of her wrist and sat down next to her and said, "I didn't want to do that but if you are not willing to listen then I have to find other ways of getting your attention."

The girl looked at the man that had just bested her with the same surprise in her eyes. She slowly sat up and faced him as she sat there for a moment. After some awkward silence she blinked and asked, "What kind of warrior are you? I've never since fighting like that on this island and I've lived for quite some time."

Zel chuckled slightly and replied, "I'm not a warrior I just happen to have a black belt in judo."

The girl blinked and asked, "What's this judo?"

"It's a fighting style that is designed to use your enemy's attack and motions against them," Zel replied as he looked at his new companion.

The girl nodded and then asked, "Why have you captured me? I only meant to have a little fun nothing harmful," as she looked at her captor with huge puppy dog eyes.

Zel looked away for a moment, 'One moment she ready to kill me now she playing the cute card,' he thought before clearing his throat. "Because your fun made me think I was losing my mind. And, number two I guess I was curious of what a fae would look like so I took the manacles this old man gave me," Zel replied.

The girl blinked, "Well you seen what we look like now if you let me go then I'll leave you alone. I promise," she replied.

Zel thought for a second and then replied, "I don't know if I can trust that. Also it might be nice to have someone along on this journey."

The girl glared at him and began to grind her teeth, "If you don't let me go I'll...," she stopped when she heard a pitch in the distance and then looked at the sun.

Zel noticed her stare and looked at the sun as well. 'Man, it's gotten late. I guess we'll camp here for the night.'

Before Zel could move the girl had jumped up grabbed his thing and then picked him up bridal style and took off down the fae path at fast speeds. Zel was blushing ear to ear being carried this way and being pulled next to certain part of her anatomy. "I can walk you know. And, just what are we running from anyway?"

"Just shut up and enjoy the ride. I'll explain later," the girl replied while she continued running at a speed that seemed impossible.

Zel blushed at the phrase, 'enjoy the ride,' with himself so close to this fae girl as they ran from something unseen.

* * *

After about thirty minutes Zel found himself in a forest clearing that was surrounded by a bunch of polished stones. The girl had set him down roughly and brought out a pouch from her belt. She pulled out something and sprinkled it around the clearing before she began to whisper in a strange language. After a moment she sighed and sat down in front of Zel. "That was close," she said as she looked around.

"What were we running from anyway," he asked as he looked around the clearing.

The polished stones seemed to glow in the pale moonlight as the rest of the forest seemed deadly quiet. "Well, you don't think that fae are the only creatures around her do you. We were running to get away from a banshee," the girl replied.

Zel blinked before asking, "And, we are somehow safer here than over there?"

"Of course silly," she replied while playfully chiding Zel, "This is a fae circle and with what little bit of magic I can muster thanks to these manacles I put a protection spell on this place."

Zel sighed, he had heard of the powers of the banshee and was glad that this girl had gotten them away. 'By the way what is her name anyway,' Zel thought before saying, "Well I guess we should introduce ourselves. I'm Zelgadis Greywords and you are?"

The girl looked at him and then replied, "I'm Lina Inverse. Now we were discussing this whole captivity thing. If you will please let me go I'll leave you be for the rest of your journey."

Zel thought about it for a second before saying, "I'll think about it in the morning. Right now it's late and I'm getting some sleep."

Lina glared at him as her anger boiled again. 'I safe him from a banshee and he still refuses to let me go...why I ought to,' Lina thought before her ear twitched.

She looked up to she another fae standing at the edge of the circle. The other fae's purple hair was long down to the small of her back and her bangs hid her eyes. She stood and watched for a moment before she asked, "Lina why have you blocked off this fae circle and allowed a human inside?"

Lina turned pale at the tone of voice and then she replied, "Well, to get away from a banshee."

"That still doesn't explain the human. Why should you care about his well being. The banshee claims enough of them each month," the other figure asked as she looked at Lina.

Lina sighed and lifted up her hands to show the iron manacles as they glinted in the pale moonlight. "I kinda got caught messing with his stuff," Lina replied with a big glup.

The other fae glared at her before saying, "Well, seeing as how you are so foolish don't return home. The last thing our family needs is the disgrace of one of our own being caught by a human," before she disappeared into the night.

Lina sighed, feeling very depressed at what the other fae said, she curled up into a ball and cried. She was captured by a human and now she couldn't return home. She laid there for an hour before rolling over and trying to sleep while say, "Yes, Luna my sister I will not embarrass the family."

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End file.
